Our Say: General Assembly returns to Annapolis with new faces and a big to-do list

Among the 47 state senators and 141 delegates taking the oath of office today at the State House, there are plenty of changes.

For the first time, an African-American woman will be sworn in as a delegate from Anne Arundel County, Sandy Bartlett. For only the second time, an African-American man will take the same oath, Mike Rogers.

For the first time, two women will be among the five state senators representing the county, Pam Beidle and Sarah Elfreth. For the first time in 20 years, a Democrat will represent District 33 in the House, Heather Bagnall.

Throughout my time in Congress, I have enjoyed sitting down on a regular basis with the Capital Gazette editorial board to discuss a wide variety of issues that matter to residents of Annapolis and Anne Arundel County.

One consistent theme is that our democratic institutions have lost their footing...

With all the new faces — Alice Cain, Brian Chisholm and Mary Lehman also new to the House of Delegates — we probably should expect a learning curve for new legislators.

Given the weight of issues facing the session, however, those new to the State House had better catch on quick.

The agenda of legislative leaders includes bolstering Obamacare in Maryland, raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour and guaranteeing in the state constitution a woman's right to abortion. Lawmakers will also have to consider proposals to open the Catholic Church to more lawsuits over child abuse and change supervision of the University of Maryland’s athletics program after the death of Terrapins football player Jordan McNair.

Delegates and senators will consider a proposal to ban 3D printed guns and guns bought partially assembled on the internet without serial numbers. They may be asked to strengthen — or weaken — Maryland’s new Extreme Risk Protective Order law.

They’ll have to sort through science and politics to figure out the future of oyster harvesting and decide if Maryland should commit to using 50 percent renewable energy by 2030. Annapolis will ask for help with its response to sea level rise.

Lawmakers must figure out how to make concrete changes in the culture of sexual harassment documented in last year’s report by the Women’s Caucus. Training for all lawmakers and their staffs begins next week.

And they’ll have to decide if the state can fund nearly $4 billion in additional education funding that would expand preschool, invest in schools where many students live in poverty and pay for raises and more training for teachers statewide.

As a rule, the General Assembly doesn’t finish all of the issues facing it in a single year. Some of these are likely to hold over until year two and three of the current legislative terms. But this year will give the public an inkling of where the tide of public discourse is headed.

As always, we’re glad to see the legislators back in Annapolis. And we acknowledge that their record in dealing directly with pressing issues — in contrast to Washington, where a dispute over border security has shut down the government — is admirable. We’re hoping they have a productive session.